The present invention relates to delivery receptacles. Typical examples of delivery receptacles include, but are not limited to, mailboxes and newspaper boxes and the like.
With ever-increasing postal rates, magazine and advertising publishers or distributors and the like commonly use private contract delivery services for distribution of advertisements and subscription publications. One of the most convenient repositories for those delivering and those receiving such materials is at the mailbox post as evidenced by the long-standing tradition of newspaper distributors fastening a paper box to a subscriber's mailbox post for delivery and receipt of the subscribed newspaper. However, a mailbox or paperbox is generally unavailable for delivery and receipt of materials other than official United States mail or a subscribed paper.
Thus, those delivering other materials devise alternative means for delivery and receipt of their materials. In the case of a wooden mailbox post, delivery services typically use a screw hook or otherwise screw fasten a hook device to a portion of the post for delivery of materials in a bag which is hung on the hook. In the case of a steel mailbox post or the like, however, it is generally impractical to drill and tap the steel structure for a screw hook device.
Further, in those situations where a screw hook may be installed on a wooden mailbox post, the screw hook used is typically an inexpensive, light duty member, subject to damage or failure. Such screw hooks may fail and become hazardous or simply degrade the overall appearance of the mailbox post.